‘The year of the farmer’ for wasps, but how do you prevent a hornet sting?

If you encounter wasps around the dining table, it is best to remain calm, and then the animals will automatically descend again. “Wasps see smells best and are fond of sweets like beer, lemonade, and fruit,” says Natuurpunt. If you sit outside, it would be a good idea to keep your table clean and avoid leftovers in the first place. At most, the hornet will come and take a look to determine that there is nothing to eat and fly away again. To avoid accidents – read: a wasp sting on your tongue or in your throat – you can put a beer mat or piece of paper on the glass or bottle.

Does a wasp really not sting if you sit or stand still?

Wasps see fast motion better than slow motion. So hitting a wasp is never a good idea. This will give them the feeling that you have started the attack and may cause them to sting. Escape from a wasp can sometimes surprise you. If you keep calm, the wasp will usually fall off on its own.

If it keeps spinning around for a long time, you can gently walk away as a precaution. Standing quietly or sitting is not always the best solution, because then the wasp can land on your lips and strike there. If you have eaten candy, it will smell like it. Hitting like crazy or trying to hit a wasp is a hassle. Then they become more aggressive, say the experts at Natuurpunt.

What if I am attacked?

Then try not to scream. Wasps can fly right into your mouth. It is dangerous to have a wasp sting in the mouth or pharynx.

Can you kill a wasp?

It’s not a good idea. Wasp venom contains pheromones that make other wasps more aggressive and may even stalk aggressive wasps. If you kill a wasp, be extra careful. Wasps live in large colonies and will defend this colony.

What treatments work against wasps?

• Avoid brightly colored clothes and strong-smelling perfumes when walking in nature. Wasps use scent as a means of communication and can react aggressively to it.

• Avoid physical activities that make you sweat. Sweat attracts bees and wasps. Make sure your torso is at least covered and you don’t walk around or sunbathe with a sweaty or wet body (which is also not recommended to avoid sunburn).

• Do not walk barefoot on the grass. Bees love clover and chamomile flowers, and wasps can nest in the ground. Wear gloves when working on flowers or plants.

• Avoid scented perfumes, deodorants, aftershaves, hairspray, and sunscreen. They attract bees and wasps.

• Avoid sudden movements when a wasp or bee is near you. Never kill an insect that has lodged on your body, but shoot it with your finger if necessary.

• People who have experienced a severe, generalized reaction to an epinephrine emergency kit (Epipen) should have on hand from spring to summer so they can inject it right away if they are stung. Ask your doctor about this and learn how to inject the product.

Natuurpunt says a hornet’s nest doesn’t necessarily mean bad news. Wasps act as a kind of natural cleaning service. A nest of 6000 hornets can fly half a million in one week and catch about 130,000 mosquitoes. In addition, they eat the carcasses of small mammals, amphibians and birds that feed on larvae in the form of small pieces.